Current TV confirmed today that recently axed MSNBC host Keith Olbermann would being joining the network later in 2011. According to a press release, Olbermann will not only be executive producing and hosting a new nightly primetime news and commentary show but that he will also serve as the network's Chief News Officer and that he will have an equity stake in Current Media.

Cincinnati's largest cable provider to drop Current TV

Time Warner Cable will not be taking up Al Jazeera’s newly acquired channel. The Associated Press reports Cincinnati’s largest cable provider will no longer carry Current TV after its sale to the Pan-Arab news network.

After the buyout, Al Jazeera announced plans to
gradually transform Current TV into Al Jazeera America by adding five to
10 new U.S. bureaus and hiring more journalists. But immediately following the acquisition by Al Jazeera,
Time Warner released a statement: “Our agreement with Current has been
terminated and we will no longer be carrying the service. We are
removing the service as quickly as possible.”

As AP reports, Al Jazeera has faced an uphill
battle reaching American audiences. In 2010, Tony Burman,
managing director of Al Jazeera’s English branch, blamed hostility from
the Bush administration for reluctance among cable and satellite
companies to carry Al Jazeera.

But at least part of the reluctance is due to the perception from some that the Qatar-based network is anti-American. Dave Marash, a former “Nightline” reporter who worked as
Al Jazeera’s anchor in Washington, D.C., left Al Jazeera in 2008, saying he sensed an anti-American slant.

Despite problems establishing a foothold in the United
States, Al Jazeera has built a substantial following for hard-hitting
news, and it earned multiple U.S. journalism awards in 2012.

Al Gore confirmed the sale of Current TV to Al Jazeera
Wednesday. The former vice president cofounded the left-leaning Current TV
in 2005 to provide what he saw as an alternative perspective in media
through user-generated content. But the network always struggled, making
multiple programming and personnel changes in its quest to become
relevant.

TheBlaze, Glenn Beck's media company, also tried to buy Current TV. But the network declined, reportedly saying, “The legacy of who the network goes to is important to us and we are sensitive to networks not aligned with our point of view.”

Cincinnati-based Scripps announced in early December that they would be selling or shutting down The Rocky Mountain News in Denver. The deadline for finding a buyer has passed with no word on the fate of the paper.

The Denver Newspaper Agency, which prints the paper, set the deadline of Jan. 16 in response to requests from the unions which represent their workers.

A deal is expected to be approved next week between E.W. Scripps Co. and Cincinnati could bring about $5.65 million in tax revenue to the city by 2018. It
also means that Scripps — which was founded here in the 1800s —
promises to expand and keep its corporate headquarters in Cincinnati for
at least 10 more years. The
media company currently resides in a downtown high-rise on Walnut
Street, and the growth will be in cyber content as it morphs for the
Internet Age. A City Hall document submitted to council in advance of next week’s meeting, says:

“The
expansion downtown will be from the Scripps digital group that is
growing and gaining momentum with new product offerings, enhancements
and technology.These products will be developed for smart phones, tablets and computers.They
will include applications that push content from Scripps’ chain of
newspapers and TV stations and distribute new content to consumers in
cities that Scripps does not serve.The new jobs will include skills in sales, design, marketing and journalism.”

In all, the payroll is expected to reach $30 million when the 125 new jobs are added.The agreement says Scripps will make “good faith efforts to fill at least 75 percent of the new jobs created” with city residents.Scripps owns 19 television stations and 13 newspapers across the U.S.It
used to publish the Cincinnati Post — the publication that started the
entire Scripps company — but that daily newspaper was shuttered in 2007
because of sharp declines in readership.

The new year already is looking a lot like the old one for employees at The Enquirer.

Workers at Cincinnati's only remaining daily newspaper got some bad news Wednesday: They can expect to take another five-day furlough during the first quarter of 2011. Robert J. Dickey, who is U.S. newspaper division president at The Gannett Co., The Enquirer's parent firm, announced the latest round of furloughs in a memo sent to workers.

Buchanan says 3CDC is covered fairly, despite her ties

The Enquirer’s top boss has
told CityBeat that her connection to a major real estate development group was “overlooked”
in a lengthy, front-page article about the organization that was published
April 15.

Publisher Margaret Buchanan wrote
in response to an email that she didn’t influence the preparation, editing or
placement of an article about the Cincinnati Center City Development Corp. (3CDC).
Buchanan sits on 3CDC’s executive committee, and is in charge of overseeing
publicity and marketing efforts for the organization.

The Enquirer published a 1,900
word-plus article about 3CDC, lauding the group for its efforts to redevelop
Over-the-Rhine despite the economic downturn. Buchanan’s role with 3CDC wasn’t
mentioned, but she told CityBeat it has been disclosed in past articles and
will be done again in the future.

Over several years, The
Cincinnati Enquirer has fully covered the pro's and con's (sic) of 3CDC's development
efforts in Over-the-Rhine for our readers and we are very proud of that
coverage.

As publisher, I sit on 3CDC's
executive committee — and did not influence any of the reporting on this issue.
Our editor is completely responsible for all editorial decisions. Typically my
participation on this committee is disclosed, although it was overlooked for
the article that ran on Sunday, April 15. It will continue to be disclosed in
the future.

Margaret Buchanan

A search using the ProQuest
database of The Enquirer’s archives found that the newspaper has published 481
articles and news briefs mentioning 3CDC since the group began its efforts in 2004.
(Given how the database is organized, however, it’s likely that some of the
entries might be duplicative.)

Of the 481 entries, Buchanan
was mentioned in 15 articles. That equates to about 1/32nd of the
articles.

Most of the published
mentions about Buchanan’s ties to 3CDC weren’t in articles about the group’s retail
and residential development projects. Rather, they mostly occurred in articles
about 3CDC’s efforts to move a homeless shelter away from Over-the-Rhine.

Also, one mention was in an
article about the new School for Creative and Performing Arts, while another
occurred in a piece marking the 10th anniversary of the police
shooting death of Timothy Thomas.

This week’s Porkopolis column
mentioned Gannett’s ethics code, which includes such admonishments as “We will
remain free of outside interests, investments or business relationships that
may compromise the credibility of our news report,” and “We will avoid
potential conflicts of interest and eliminate inappropriate influence on
content.”

The code also states “When
unavoidable personal or business interests could compromise the newspaper’s
credibility, such potential conflicts must be disclosed to one’s superior and,
if relevant, to readers.”

In her email, Buchanan didn’t
address why these rules don’t apply to her connection to 3CDC.

Jim Hopkins' Gannett Blog and some local sources are reporting The Enquirer has laid off between 5 to 7 people this week.

Two of the casualties were the person in charge of the incessantly promotedMoms Like MeWeb site and the assistant managing editor of operations, who performed the administrative functions in the newsroom.

For all the rhetoric about the United States' right to freedom of the press, the best reporting on the governmental secrets revealed by WikiLeaks, and the deeper issues they raise, has been done by media outlets in other nations. And the best and most in-depth interview with Julian Assange has been done by a British journalist for Al Jazeera, the Arab satellite news channel.

David Frost, who famously interviewed President Nixon a few years after his resignation following the Watergate scandal, now has a program on Al Jazeera, entitled Frost Over the World.